Hanoi to Halong Bay travel guide – Hanoi to Halong Bay trip

Hanoi to Halong Bay trip is one of the most touristic roads in Vietnam because it connect Hanoi to Halong Bay and vice versa. These two destinations are must-see and well-known in Vietnam. We would like to introduce and give advice for safety and most convenient to travelers who travel through this route.

Hanoi to Halong Bay by road

From Hanoi to Halong Bay, you have two choices going with tours from travel agent or by independent bus.

Firstly, we would like to inform that total length of Hanoi to Halong route is from 170 to 200 km according to your starting point. Usually, you need 3 hours if transferred by car, if you travel by bus it takes 3 – 4 hours even 5 hours. In general, if you start in the morning you will reach to Halong at noon.

We advise that you should go by bus if your group has 1 or 2 persons, from 4 persons you should rent a car or minibus for the trip. Cost for air conditioned vehicles is very reasonable if you rent through agents, from 120 – 150 USD for 2 days and 1 night trip with two way transfer.

Hanoi to Halong Bay road map

From the hotel or starting place in Hanoi, you use taxi or xe om (motorbike rental) to go to bus stations such as Kim Ma bus station in Nguyen Thai Hoc street, My Dinh bus station in Pham Hung road, Luong Yen bus station… There are several bus team you might use for Hanoi to Halong Bay trip as following: Kumho, Viet Thanh, Hoang Long Express, Ka Long…

You should use Hoang Long Express and Viet Thanh in priority, they depart every hours. Bus tickets for Hanoi – Halong is around 100,000 VND (equivalent to 5 USD).

Upon arrival in Halong city, you should use taxi or xe om to the hotel or cruise. From bus station to center of Halong, it takes 5 – 6 km and the cost is 50,000 VND for xe om and 80,000 VND for taxi.

New way from Hanoi to Halong Bay

Good news for traveler when Hai Phong – Quang Ninh highway will be launched in 2018 to reduce time from Hanoi to Halong Bay to around 2 hours. With this route, we will drive from Hanoi to Hai Phong via Hanoi-Haiphong highway and connect to Haiphong-Halong highway to shorten length of route to 130 km and reduce time to 2 hours.

Hanoi to Halong Bay by helicopter

Helicopter taxi service from Hanoi to Halong Bay is being operated by Vietnam Helicopter Corporation. This service provides an overview of Halong Bay to tourists from the sky. It helps visitors to watch and enjoy Halong Bay by different way from EC-130 helicopter. Each flight can carry 7 persons including pilot with the route Hanoi to Halong Bay and return. Travelers use this service can choose charter flight or sightseeing ticket from the height of 300 m compares to sea level. The area is 30 km includes most of islands in Halong Bay.

If you want to use helicopter service, you must go to Gia Lam airport to depart from Hanoi and take flight back to Hanoi by helicopter. You can choose one way ticket and transfer back to Hanoi by road or train.

Helicopter is landing for Hanoi to Halong Bay trip

Hanoi to Halong Bay by seaplane

Sightseeing Halong Bay by seaplane is service from Hai Au Aviation, was launched in September 2014. If you use this service, you need to transfer from Hanoi to Noi Bai International Airport and take seaplane flight to Halong Bay. It’s great way for sightseeing Halong Bay from the plane with height of 1,000 m compares to sea level. This service may combine with other service such as overnight cruise in Halong Bay, hotel in Halong… Watching Halong Bay from the height of 1,000 m is very different way to discover Halong, especially traveling with the Cessna Grand Caravan 208B-EX. Your journeys to this northern land of Vietnam has never been so quick, unique and full of excitement. The inconvenience of this service is to transfer from Hanoi center to Noi Bai airport and back. It will takes you more time; and seaplane is still allowed to fly from 1,000 m.

Seaplane landing area in Halong Bay

Hanoi to Halong Bay by train

For Hanoi to Halong Bay trip, you might choose to travel by train. The train station use for Halong is located in Gia Lam district. From Hanoi center to train station is about 5 km and 20 minutes by car or motorbike. Train departs at 7:05 am and arrive in Halong at 12:00, ticket price is 15 USD for international travelers.

Nowaday, railway for this route is investing to upgrade and attract more passengers so service for this route is still poor and inconvenient. Additionally, seats are numbered to follow the line from bottom to top of carriage. Bar service exists in each carriage including mineral water, snacks and beer respectively. Probably, passengers can carry maximum of 20 kg luggage and have to protect themselves. Hence, there are luggage slots in each carriage for using.

Train may be not a good choice at this time, it will be better after renovation in 2017.

Train from Hanoi to Halong Bay

Please refer here for more information for Halong Bay: Halong Bay Travel Guide and Halong to Hanoi travel guide

Some suggested information for Halong Bay you might be interested as below:

1. Halong Bay Caves

2. Halong Bay beach

3. Halong City

4. Kayaking Halong Bay

5. Halong Bay weather